Friday, October 18, 2019

Commercial Aviation Management Functions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Commercial Aviation Management Functions - Essay Example This paper studies the different commercial aviation management functions to understand the issues and the unique solutions applied to solve the problems in an attempt to maximize profits in spite of the fixed inventory and high costs of investments. Overview of airlines management functions Airlines like any other business have a load of functions to manage for a competitive advantage in the industry. Essential functions are marketing, sales, etc. but the most recent emphasis on enhanced marketing tools and techniques characterizes the airlines industry. The use of a yield or revenue management tool to integrate the different functions of the business is an effective tool to realize the profit maximization in the industry. A marketing mix is of crucial importance for the airlines industry and involves activities like product planning, pricing, branding, packaging, promotion, advertising, selling, distribution, physical handling and service. The 4Ps of marketing mix: product, pri cing, place and promotion take into consideration all the activities mentioned and are at the heart of the yield or revenue management strategies (Knorr and Zigova, 2004; McGuire and Pinchuk, 2009). ... involves the tactical control of seat inventory through protection of seats for later-booking by high-fare customers by a proper balance of the load factor and yield (Fundamentals of pricing and revenue management, 2012). YM aims to maximize profits by controlling the load factor of the perishable seat inventory and selling the correct number of seats at discriminated prices based on demand and pricing elasticity. YM can be considered to the activity of selling the right product to the right customer at the right place and at the right time for optimum price through the best available channel (Rose, 2012). Further, YM involves management of the inventory, distribution channels and prices to yield profitability in the long run (Kleywegt, 2008). Implementing YM is seen to increase 3-9 percent of airlines revenue by combining different models for discrete choice analysis, forecasting, and large-scale optimization (Rose, 2012). However, there have been changes in the approaches to YM ove r the years based on the changes in airline business environment (Smith, 2002). Airline planning and marketing: Supply and demand  Airlines usually compete for customers, horizontally and vertically (Netessine and Shumsky, 2004). The inventory is perishable and the demand is time-variable and a trade-off between price (yield) and volume (load factor) becomes essential in this industry. Load factor is the percentage of capacity sold and demand for this perishable inventory changes by the time of day, day of week and season (Dr. Britton, 2009). Seat inventory control under horizontal competition (airlines competing for customers on a single flight leg) and vertical competition (airlines flying different flights on a multi leg itinerary) is usually achieved by a pure strategy Nash

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Operations And Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Operations And Supply Chain Management - Essay Example Sydney is one of the most famous metropolitan, multi-ethnic, and cosmopolitan cities in Australia that comes under the location in the southeast portion of Australia. Moreover, it is considered one of the largest cities in Australia with a population of more than four million residents, which has also been popular for being a vivacious, dynamic, and lively city. It is a very diverse city with respect to its population where people of Australian, English, Scottish, Irish, and Chinese heritage are the usual inhabitants. Moreover, people from various other countries such as United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, Philippines and few other are also migrated and live as the natives of Sydney.The topography of Sydney, Australia reveals the truth that locality comes under the surrounding by several national parks, coastal regions that incorporate rivers, bays, and beaches. Furthermore, it has also involved itself in sports activities and events and hosted quite a few out of them. The climatic c onditions of Sydney demonstrate the fact that it usually has a moderate and self-controlled climate with warm summers and mild winters; however, the city experiences the rainfall all over the year (Robinson & Bachman, 2000).One of the leading and vital reasons to open up the chain of hypermarket in Sydney is due to the reason that it has come under-recognition in the world rankings for its economic innovations. Moreover, Sydney contributes a huge proportion of the total GDP of the country. According to the statistics, Sydney has also gained the reputation as a worldwide center for commerce, arts, culture, music, and quite a few other aspects. Sydney has become a hub for the multinational corporations and top organizations including banks and shopping malls. Moreover, Sydney has become a place with major worldwide brand name labels (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2000). Therefore, it can come to the conclusion that the cream of the crop people is mainly the residents of Sydney. According to the information and facts of Sydney, it is significantly one of the most expensive cities in the world with a very high cost of living. However, this is one of the crucial reasons

Compare and contrast modern conservatism and modern liberalism Essay

Compare and contrast modern conservatism and modern liberalism - Essay Example The paper tells that one of the major requisites of the comparative analysis of modern conservatism and modern liberalism is a thorough understanding of the underlying principles of both these ideologies. In an attempt to classify the major arguments of modern conservatism, one may recognize that the body of opinion called conservatism does not have a clear-cut dogma or ideology. Rather than a system of ideological dogmata, it is mainly a body of sentiments which upholds the attitude we call conservatism. As Russell Kirk remarks, â€Å"Perhaps it would be well, most of the time, to use this word â€Å"conservative† as an adjective chiefly. For there exists no Model Conservative, and conservatism is the negation of ideology: it is a state of mind, a type of character, a way of looking at the civil social order.† However, a clear understanding of the major tenets of modern conservatism suggests that it is an ideology which shows respect for the institutions of law, Consti tution and the rights of the people. Although it has changed many of the traits of true conservatism, modern conservatism has played a crucial role in the equality, liberty, justice, and education of the people in the modern states. This fact is clear from Russell Kirk discussion of the ten principles that have loomed large during the two centuries of modern conservative thought, and he specifies that the conservative understanding of justice, education, etc have similar significance in the modern world. ... Rather than a system of ideological dogmata, it is mainly a body of sentiments which upholds the attitude we call conservatism. As Russell Kirk remarks, â€Å"Perhaps it would be well, most of the time, to use this word â€Å"conservative† as an adjective chiefly. For there exists no Model Conservative, and conservatism is the negation of ideology: it is a state of mind, a type of character, a way of looking at the civil social order.† (Guide, pg. 40) However, a clear understanding of the major tenets of modern conservatism suggests that it is an ideology which shows respect for the institutions of law, Constitution and the rights of the people. Although it has changed many of the traits of true conservatism, modern conservatism has played a crucial role in the equality, liberty, justice, and education of the people in the modern states. This fact is clear from Russell Kirk discussion of the ten principles that have loomed large during the two centuries of modern conser vative thought, and he specifies that the conservative understanding of justice, education, etc have similar significance in the modern world. In his comparison of the ideologies of modern conservatism and modern liberalism Russell Kirk considers that the former has more relevance than the latter. According to him, the great line of demarcation in modern politics is between the ultimate principles of these ideologies: â€Å"on one side of that line are all those men and women who fancy that the temporal order is the only order, and that material needs are their only needs, and that they may do as they like with the human patrimony. On the other side of that line are all those people who recognize an enduring moral order in the universe, a constant human nature, and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Operations And Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Operations And Supply Chain Management - Essay Example Sydney is one of the most famous metropolitan, multi-ethnic, and cosmopolitan cities in Australia that comes under the location in the southeast portion of Australia. Moreover, it is considered one of the largest cities in Australia with a population of more than four million residents, which has also been popular for being a vivacious, dynamic, and lively city. It is a very diverse city with respect to its population where people of Australian, English, Scottish, Irish, and Chinese heritage are the usual inhabitants. Moreover, people from various other countries such as United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, Philippines and few other are also migrated and live as the natives of Sydney.The topography of Sydney, Australia reveals the truth that locality comes under the surrounding by several national parks, coastal regions that incorporate rivers, bays, and beaches. Furthermore, it has also involved itself in sports activities and events and hosted quite a few out of them. The climatic c onditions of Sydney demonstrate the fact that it usually has a moderate and self-controlled climate with warm summers and mild winters; however, the city experiences the rainfall all over the year (Robinson & Bachman, 2000).One of the leading and vital reasons to open up the chain of hypermarket in Sydney is due to the reason that it has come under-recognition in the world rankings for its economic innovations. Moreover, Sydney contributes a huge proportion of the total GDP of the country. According to the statistics, Sydney has also gained the reputation as a worldwide center for commerce, arts, culture, music, and quite a few other aspects. Sydney has become a hub for the multinational corporations and top organizations including banks and shopping malls. Moreover, Sydney has become a place with major worldwide brand name labels (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2000). Therefore, it can come to the conclusion that the cream of the crop people is mainly the residents of Sydney. According to the information and facts of Sydney, it is significantly one of the most expensive cities in the world with a very high cost of living. However, this is one of the crucial reasons

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Organizational Theory Design and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Organizational Theory Design and Change - Essay Example Creativity deals with ideas going beyond the boundaries of technology, social norms, knowledge and beliefs. When these three elements combine in an organization, then creative destruction takes place in which old companies which use old conventional methods are thrown out of the competitive market and business and new industries emerge as a result. When an organization follows such strategies that encourage the entrepreneurs to utilize their creativity in developing new products or in improving the efficiency of the older ones, then they come up with new innovative ideas and hence new product with increased efficiency is introduced in the market which better address the needs of the clientele. This not only boosts the organization’s integrity but also add to its stability. Thus, these three elements are interrelated with each other and are considered to be vital for knowledge-creating organizations because such organizations needs innovation at all levels put forward by the cr eative entrepreneurs. This increases the entrepreneurs’ expertise, and guarantees the organization’s growth and increased productivity that eventually attracts clientele, results in better product outcomes, and creates good reputation in the market. Works Cited Jones, G. Organizational Theory Design and Change. NJ: Prentice Hall, 2009.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Red Snapper Fishing Regulations Essay Example for Free

Red Snapper Fishing Regulations Essay Recommendation to implement different regulations on Red Snapper fishing. Many people like myself, look forward each year to the overly exciting fishing season to catch the beloved snapper. Season dates along with size and possession limits are nothing new to the fisherman; but when a council decides to shrink a fishing season that is normally a month long down to a meager 9 days it can be heart breaking for many. Maintaining the support and sustainability of these fish is an extremely important task, that no one disagrees with, but when almost taking away the season, in its entirety, one can alter many people’s plans, hobbies, and ways of life. I plan to propose an alternant way to preserve and maintain the ecosystem of these fish while providing adequate and fair regulations for all. The purpose of this report it to persuade the fisheries councils to address the current issues that stand with recreational snapper fishing. I will provide statistics and also analyzed data that I have gathered to conclude as to what the best option is to solve these problems. Current Situation: The amount of anglers in the Gulf of Mexico rises every day with more wanting to catch snapper. For the length of my life there has been regulations to maintain these fish, while they did a great job to preserve life and keep the angler happy, the recent change as of 2014 does not. Many know that these certain fish can, mostly, be found in deeper waters near structure, such as reefs and oil platforms; and also many know that there are numerous organization and petitions to keep old, unused oilrigs standing in the gulf because of their ability to maintain and abundance of wildlife beneath. With more conservation to help these fish thrive why did the councils decide to shrink the season dates from a previous 30+ day season to a minute 9 days when there are other councils also participating to help the numbers of fish? With this drastic change in regulation many anglers, who, in years previous, fished for these snapper, found that it was not worth the time and money it requires to go after them. (Boat Launch) With a limit of 2 per person per day, a 9-day season simply makes no sense. The council did warn the public that the season would be shorter this year, but no one expected it to be a number in the single digits! The federal management of red snapper is based on the numbers coming out of the entirety of the Gulf of Mexico instead of by location, such as state waters. Now that the federal red snapper season has been set at a ridiculously low nine days it reiterates the fallacy of the current federal management of this great fishery. This system cannot be tweaked or incrementally improved. It needs to be totally overhauled; the management of the recreational red snapper fishery needs to be transferred to the states where we can do quality stock assessments and set reasonable seasons commensurate with the biomass that is in the Gulf of Mexico’’, says Alabama Marine Resources Director Chris Blankenship. (Gulf) When states want to take matters into their own hands without any federal management or help, the issue at hand has become quite serious. The councils responsible for negotiations and attributing propositions to the federal  regulation of these fisheries must undertake a new stand and take responsibility in order to serve the public fairly and justly. I believe a simple solution that will help this situation has been previously used for another species of fish. When speaking to Dr. L. Gleeson of the Coast Conservation Association he stated, â€Å" When we passed the motion to decrease the minimum size of Speckled Trout it was because after years of increased conservation we noticed that the population of the species was up about 75%, so we felt that we could maintain good numbers while pleasing the fisherman with a smaller legal size.†(Red Snapper) A simple maneuver that decreases the minimum legal size of the Red Snapper would do just as most want. It could keep the possession limit to 2 per person but allow more anglers to participate in the fishery by allowing the smaller snapper at the shallower oil rigs to be harvested instead of requiring anglers to spend the money and time that it takes to travel the extra nautical miles to the deeper rigs to find the larger, legal snapper. The CCA had its reservations when lowering the minimum legal size for trout but after research of the species for 5 years now the evidences provides belief that the population has not decreased, and spawning has remaining at equal levels. Certainly, you may have questions and reservations as well, but with all of the excess help to regulate and maintain the red snapper fishery there should be no question that this is an effective way to balance the support and establish a new regulation strategy for the recent years to come. I believe if this system were implemented soon we would see related results within the same time frame of a few years, if not shorter. Since there is no season dates for speckled trout, the off-season for red snapper would show normal spawning numbers with no decrease in population. This maneuver is focused mainly on maintaining fishery numbers while improving angler satisfaction and participation. Methodology: I have conducted personal interviews, researched numerous articles online,  and created an online survey in order to support my methodology. My first step was talking to a few strangers at the boat launch who frequently fish for snapper. The questions I asked mainly focused on the topic at hand, more specifically if they agree with the shorter season. While asking questions personally to peer anglers I found that 9/10 people did not fish for snapper this year because of the heavily regulated and shortened season. Most set out in hopes to catch snapper at least twice in a season, but with this 9 day season most couldn’t due to scheduling and time constraints. Many would also like to see an overhaul of the regulation entirely. (Boat Launch) I then created an online survey that I dispersed via Facebook and had numerous random individuals answer the questions at hand regarding this issue. In order to be sure that my data wasn’t skewed or distorted I asked that only individuals who were licensed recreational anglers take my survey. Of the 20 that took my online survey more than 16 actually pursue snapper and of those individuals all of them disagree with the ruling of the federally regulated 9-day season. (Tompkins) Also while searching for related articles online, I found numerous sites with multiple articles of disgust on the issue, multiple reports of upset anglers, and forums filled with questions asking â€Å"why†, the council made this act. (Gulf) Closing: I would like to say that the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council does a great deal to protect our waters and all that swims in it. We, as fisherman, appreciate every effort that the council puts forth in order to maintain and regulate the hobbies and lifestyles that make us who we are! Although we understand certain procedures and acts, this one, in particular, does not seem to advance any goals set forth by the council and the communities that it represents. This proposal aims to reconsider that previous acts set towards the red snapper fishery, or to reconcile the  change all together. As I do understand that this will take time to make these amendments I am willing to do my part and donate whatever necessary to make actions towards this. Thank you for your consideration of my proposal. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via cell phone at Works Cited Survey: . â€Å"Red Snapper Season 2014.† SurveyMonkey.com. June 18, 2014 In Text: (Tompkins) Interviews: â€Å"Boat Launch†. Greenough, C. Watson, James. Thompson, Paul. Personal interview. June 21, 2014 In Text: (Boat Launch) interview: â€Å"Red Snapper†. Gleeson, Dr. L. Personal Interview. June 24,2014 In Text: (Red Snapper) Website: â€Å"Gulf Recreational Red snapper season reduced to 9 days.† AL.COM. Web. May 14, 2014. http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/05/gulf_recreational_red_snapper.html In Text: (Gulf)

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Recruitment And Selection Construction Business Commerce Essay

Recruitment And Selection Construction Business Commerce Essay Since the company is a construction business, there are two offices one is the on site office and the other one is the main office. The recruitment and selection process is majorly carried out for the main office. The different posts for which recruitment is carried out are for the different departments such as marketing, human resource, finance and functional departments. The company does not carry out recruitment process on a timely basis; it is conducted as and when an employee leaves the organization or when a new position is recognized in the organization. Recruitment and selection Recruitment is the premier major steps in the selection process in the Organizations. It has been explained as an activity directed to obtain appropriate human resources whose qualifications and skills match functions of the relevant posts in the Organization. Its importance cannot be over-emphasized and can also be best described as the heart of the organization. Recruitment and selection process starts when a vacancy becomes available in an organization. The major differences between recruitment and selection is highlighted below Recruitment Selection Is the process of searching the candidates for employment and inspiring them to apply for jobs in the organization It Involves the series of steps by which the candidates are screened for  choosing the most suitable persons for  vacant posts The basic purpose of recruitments is to create a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best candidates for the organization, by attracting more and more employees to apply in the organization. The basic purpose of selection process is to choose the right candidate to fill the various positions in the organization Recruitment is a positive process i.e. encouraging more and more employees to apply . Selection is a negative process as it involves rejection of the unsuitable candidates. Recruitment is concerned with tapping the sources of human resources Selection is concerned with selecting the most suitable candidate through various interviews and tests There is no contract of recruitment established in recruitment Selection results in a contract of  service between the employer and the selected employee. Recruitment and selection is a 10-step process. These steps are illustrated in the following table Companys process The human resource department of the company carries out the following process for recruiting and selecting new employees. Every time an employee holding high post decides to leave the firm, the director of the company with the help of human resource department sits down to analyze the structure of the organization and studies whether any change is required. Change could be in the form of clubbing different job responsibilities or whether it is necessary to recruit a new employee. If there is a change in the structure, the employees are informed about it during the weekly meetings. If there is no change to be made to the structure then the recruitment and selection process is carried out Job analysis After the vacancy is confirmed, the HR department reviews the job description and job specification and makes the necessary changes if required. The job description contains items such as Job specification- lists the human qualifications necessary to do the job like- The employers of Empire construction search for the following skills in the employees Analytical Time management Planning Decision-making Problem solving Information seeking The selection process is then based on the job description and job specification. The HR head decides the weightage that each criterion will have in the selection of the employee Advertisement Advertisement is done to get suitable candidates aware about the vacant post. The company finds it necessary to be as transparent as possible while displaying the job advertisement. Some of the details mentioned in the job advertisement are All positions must be advertised for a minimum of five working days. The company recruits employees both internally and externally; this depends on the vacant post. For internal recruitment the vacant posts are advertised only internally, where the job details are posted on the notice board and the post is spoken about in the meetings. However internal recruitment in the company is limited since the workforce in the company is trivial. External advertisement The Company advertises the vacant post externally by using the newspaper. Also the company lets various job centers aware of the post. In the world of technology the company also uses various online websites such as naukri.com and monster.com to post about the job and get suitable candidates. Application process Following the advertisements the interested candidates are asked to fill up an application form, which is provided to them via email or can be collected from the main office. An example of the application form is attached below. Along with the application form the candidates are required to submit their CV. After all the applications are received the Hr department of the company screens applications and short-lists the suitable candidates. The short listed candidates are then asked to come for an interview; this information is passed to the suitable candidates using emails and phone calls. The rejected candidates are also sent a mail stating that they have been rejected for the job applied for. Interview The company head and the Hr manager together interview the short-listed candidates. Some of The basic interview questions they ask the candidates are listed below. Why do you want this job? What do you know about this company? What makes you think you will fit in this organization? What are your key strengths? What are your main weaknesses? The interview question that they ask are situational based and is largely dependent on the post applied for. One good example that the Hr head provided the author with was in relation to an interview for the sales head. The interviewee was handed with the brochure of the companys new project and was asked to point out reasons why the sales might or not take place with respect to that brochure. Once the interview is done, the HR team sits down together to verify the credentials. The right to work evidence, birth certificate, passport, visa and other such documents are taken into consideration during the interview process. Soon after the credentials are verified the process of ranking the applicants starts. The company carries out this process using the independent approach. Each member of the selection committee pens down their views and ranks the applicants on the basis of the criterion. After which the selection committee comes to a consensus where the applicant with the most merit is selected to fill the vacant position. In case of a conflict the general Manager of the firm will take the decision. Selection process is followed by then deciding the commencing salary of the employee. Salary is decided based on the experience, qualifications and also the post applied for. Applicants are considered suitable are ranked in order of preference. The task of completing reference checking of the applicants is handed over to rather the selection committee or the directors nominee. Reference checks are important to understand the ability of the applicant to carry out his duties of position in accordance with the criterion. Reference checking is not carried out for the applicants who were interviewed. In fact it is only done for the applicant who ranked the highest. If at all there is hardly any difference between two or more applicant then their reference can also be considered. If the selection committee decides to approach the referees that have not been nominated by the applicant, then they ought to take permission from the applicant before doing so. Retention process Effective employee retention is a systematic effort by employers to create and foster an environment that encourages current employees to remain employed by having policies and practices in place that address their diverse needs. Retaining existing staff saves the employers time and money of recruiting, selecting and training new employees. Empire constructions use several ways to retain their existing employees, Mr T.s Vig the Director of the company said that retention of the key employees is necessary for the project success. The company always has exit interviews for employees who decide to leave their jobs; these interviews have revealed some reasons why people leave the job. Such as Better salary package elsewhere More Benefits elsewhere Too much workload The various measures taken by the company in order to retain its employees are as the follows The company believes in having a very open communication system where no employee feels alienated and all employees feel like an important part of the organization. Making work not only about work, the company environment is very friendly. They celebrate all festivals with a lot of enthusiasm in the company, this brings all the employees closer as a group. Also the employees are allotted with special bonuses during some festivals for example during Diwali the employees are given half a months extra salary. Pay in order to retain the employees the company keeps upgrading the employees salary as time passes. Benefits- Empire constructions provides their workers with some benefits such asà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Paid vacationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Paid holiday à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sick leave, Fringe benefits are discussed in detail later. Pension- The employees of Empire constructions are given a pension when retiring; this motivates them to stay longer in the organization. Motivational strategies used by the company are to mainly make the more efficient and they also help in retaining them, as motivated employees are happy employees. This aspect is explained in the later part of the assignment 1.2 Apply legal, regulatory and ethical considerations to the selection process Ethics is a set of principles to be followed that suggest what is right and what is wrong. No discrimination on any basis is one of the laws which has to be followed but it also an ethical responsibility of the employers and the management. Being in a construction business ethics plays a vital role since the business utilizes manpower like none other. With having unskilled labor the company needs to follow ethical practices in order to not harm anyone. Regulatory Once the final negotiations are done the following formalities are essential to convert the candidate into an employee.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reference Checks  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pre employment medical tests  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Documentation: Educational certificates and previous organizational records   The above-mentioned regulations are for only the main office staff. Legal There are several laws the company will have to follow and are mandatory Minimum age- according to Article 8 of Part II of the Indian law system Minimum Age initially specified was 16 years but was raised to 18 years in 1989. According to this law all the employees if the company should be over the age of 18. Empire construction does not recruit anyone who is below the age of 18. One of the eligibility criteria that the company follows is that the age of the candidate should be over 18. According to Indian contract act of 1872 all the employees are made to sign a contract at the start of their work. Minimum wages- The Indian law system specifies a minimum wage and all the employees should be paid more than that. Empire constructions for the skilled and unskilled labor obey this law and pay the employees accordingly. This act is more applicable for the unskilled workers working at the construction sites. Being in the construction business Empire construction has to follow The Building Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 This act looks was enacted for safety, health and welfare measures of construction workers. The Act contains provision for http://business.gov.in/legal_aspects/laws_specificindustries.php Amongst the other mentioned laws the company also has an obligation to follow The Equal Remuneration Act, 1973(for woman) and The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959. 2 High performance teams are truly seen as winning teams that invest much time and effort exploring, shaping and agreeing on a purpose that belongs to them, both collectively and individually. They are characterized by a greater sense of commitment to their growth and success. Evaluate how to build winning teams. Assess the benefits of team working A team is any group of people organized to work together interdependently and cooperatively to meet the needs of their customers by accomplishing a purpose and goals. Susan Heathfield Empire construction utilizes project teams. In the company several people of different functional groups come together and work on a project, this has many benefits for the organization some of them are listed below. Efficiency- Teamwork leads to higher efficiency, which will evidently is beneficial for Empire constructions. Teamwork in Empire construction aids in getting the projects undertaken in the most efficient manner. Morale- working in teams helps employees have higher morale and feel more comfortable and well adjusted in the organization. Higher employee morale helps in their retention. Information Preservation- working in teams, all information about activities are shared, hence protecting the company from loss of important work when someone leaves the company. Sharing information can cut down on time spent learning valuable information a former employee understood well. Innovationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨- Brainstorming for ideas and pooling in resources makes innovation likely for the company. In Empire constructions the project team sit together and analyze projects and brainstorm ideas and this usually leads to innovative ideas. Reduced Waste- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Team working reduces chances of duplication of efforts and streamline production. Unity- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Working in teams fosters a sense of unity and this overall benefits the company by creating a work atmosphere enjoyed by the staff. Project teams are also vital for Empire construction since without it the success of projects would be challenging, each individual working independently on one common project would create a lot of chaos and duplication of work will be high. Demonstrate working in a team as a leader and member towards specific goals dealing with any conflict or difficult situation. Conflict is the perception of difference of interest among people (Thompson, 1998,p.4) Conflict management and problem solving skills are important for all leaders to possess. It is important to understand the reasons of conflicts . Most of the conflicts that happen in teams are due to the difference in ideas and the problems that arise are due to individuals but have an effect on the entire team. Stulberg (1987) identified traits common to all disagreements; He called them the Five-Ps of Conflict Management and these are shown below. Conflict management, source- Stulberg (1987) http://www.innovativeteambuilding.co.uk In empire construction for conflict management the team leader listens to all the people and then brainstorms and understands the conflict then comes up with a solution. The author would recommend the company to use Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Approach for conflict management. This approach respects individual differences and helps in people not becoming too embedded in a fix position. All the team members of the company would have to follow the following rules in using this approach. Make sure that good relationships are the first priority: During conflicts all the people involved should be courteous and calm, also should try to be constructive under pressure. Keep people and problems separate: During a conflict other personal issues should not be kept under consideration, this will help in dealing with real issues without damaging working relationships. Pay attention to the interests that are being presented: Listen carefully to the other person Listen first; talk second: To solve a problem effectively you have to understand where the other person is coming from before defending your own position. Set out the Facts: Before trying to argue or try to manage conflicts the leader should know all the facts about the conflict. Explore options together: Be open to the idea that a third position may exist, and that you can get to this idea jointly. Review the effectiveness of a team in achieving the goals. Effectiveness of teams refers to how efficient the team is while achieving their goals. For an effective team all employees should be more proactive and self-sufficient, hence employee empowerment can help improve team effectiveness. In empire constructions the effectiveness of team is vital to achieve the goals. Being a construction company they have deadlines to meet and their main goal is to complete projects within the time and budget and with good quality. To achieve their goals and targets Empire construction utilizes several ways to increase the effectiveness of project teams. The company sets clear goals in the start and these are clearly communicated to all the team members since to achieve the goals the goals and objectives should be clearly known by all the team members. The team leader to review the effectiveness of the team in achieving goals conducts regular project meetings. To have effective teams during the start of the project the project plan is created where all the team members are allotted with different responsibilities and roles. From the past trend of the company it can be seen that all their deadlines are mostly met and hence it can be said that the teams in Empire construction are efficient and effect The author feels that the company can make use of team building evaluation attached below to review the effectiveness of the teams. Team Building Evaluation Scale: 1= Strongly Disagree, 2= Disagree, 3= Agree, 4= Strongly Disagree http://www.janssensportsleadership.com/resources/free-championship-team-building-evaluation/ LEADERSHIP- Leadership means influencing people so that they will strive willingly towards the achievement of group goals A leader is a person who has the ability to get other people to do what they dont want to do and like it There are two types of leaders in every organization official leader and informal leader. An official leader is the one who has been established by the organization and has the right to delegate or give orders to co-workers in the firm. An unofficial leader is the one who has the natural ability to be a leader and has the ability to influence people. In empire constructions the Directors of the company are the official leaders. Since it is a construction company the roles are very distinguished. Responsibilities are not clubbed together and given to one employee it is widely distributed among the employees. There is an importance of a leader in every organization. In most cases, people will perform at about 60% of their potential with no leadership at all. Thus, an additional 40% can be realized if effective leadership is available There are several skills and attributes needed for leadership Skill/Attribute   Self-Awareness   An effective leader should be self-aware. Should know own strengths and weaknesses.   Self-Management   A leader should hold themselves responsible for every decision made   Relationship Building   An effective leader should be able to establish meaningful relationships.   Communication Skills   An effective leader should be able to engage in active listening and open dialogue while working in a group or team   Ethical Practices   A leader should have defined and established personal values   Team Development   An effective leader should actively contribute to the teams seasonal goals and objectives   Leading Change A leader should be able to implement changes for improvement and betterment of the organization.   Project and Program Effectiveness A leader should be able to organize, delegate, and evaluate the impact of a future project   Systems Thinking   A leader should possess critical thinking skills to understand and to deal with dissimilar environments. Motivate employees An effective leader should be able to motivate the employees to get work done from them. The table below highlights the skills and attributes needed for leadership. https://sites.google.com/site/karamartinsleadershipportfolio/home/11-skills-and-attributes Leadership in empire constructions The company has several leaders and they are primarily the directors of the company. All the three directors who are basically the leaders are self-aware and self managed. The leaders of the company are friendly with the staff and tend to inspire and motivate the staff. The directors take all the major decisions, which involve change, so it can be said that they lead change in the organization for the betterment. Difference between leadership and management Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing.- Warren Bennis. There are several differences between a leader and a manager. In empire construction the directors are the leaders whereas there are several managers such as project manager, marketing manager etc. Time- managers work for a particular time period of the day whereas being a leader is about being responsible 24 hours. Manager takes tactical decisions whereas a leader takes strategic decisions. The director being the leader takes strategic decisions such as which project to undertake and about future expansions, the tactical decisions such as how many brochures to print are taken by the managers. Roles and responsibilities-Leaders are responsible for a broader range of responsibilities that managers are. Mr. T.S Vig being the leader in empire constructions is responsible or the entire company whereas the managers in the company are responsible of only a certain tasks. Influence on others- Leaders inspire and motivate people, whereas managers being in authority instruct and order employees. Risk taking- managers follow predetermined rules and regulations of the company whereas a leader will challenge the status quo. In empire constructions the managers work on establishing tasks whereas the leader is rather radical in his thinking. Vision- A leader is a dealer in hope Napolean(1769-1821) A leader has a strong vision whereas managers lack that and abide by the company procedures. The table below highlights the skills and roles of managers and leaders. Management Leadership Do things right Do the right thing Doing whats right Knowing whats right Directing and controlling others Motivating and inspiring others Delegating tasks to subordinate Empowering followers Follow orders from senior executives Inspire others to follow a shared vision Conform to norms of the organization Create and foster a change culture Problem solvers Innovators Official position of responsibility within the organization Traits within people, irrespective of their rank Position Action Planning, directing, monitoring Strategic decision making Listened to by others Respected, appreciated, liked and trusted by others Achievement of objectives through compliance of others Achievement of objectives through acceptance and willingness of followers Analysis Decisiveness Learned skills Natural instincts Organization of staff Support and guidance for followers. Management and Empire construction At times the companies leaders play the role of managers for running the company effectively since it is a small business. This is not very desirable since leaders and managers portray different traits and strengths to meet the organizations objectives. However the company does have several managers responsible for varied tasks. Rajkumar Singh is the site manager for one of the projects and he manages the site office of that project. His job is to ensure that all the work at the project site is being conducted appropriately and meets the predetermined quality, time and budget. He being the manager instructs all the workers about the work to be done on the site. Leadership styles There are three unique leadership styles highlighted in the diagram below. Figure 11- leadership styles, Fieldwork- source of information; Paul hoang (2007).  business and management. australia: IBID press. 750 A specific leadership style cannot be determined for the organization because the style varies from leader to leader. Leadership style undertaken depends on the relationship between the leader and his sub-ordinates and also the leaders thinking about his subordinates. The organization makes use of situational leadership style, which means that the leaders and managers do not follow a particular approach towards leadership but make use of a mix of autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire leadership style. The owners of the firm who do not make decisions based on departments but make them considering the 360-degree approach adapt situational leadership. In the company Autocratic style is adapted when result or deadlines are supposed to be met in a short period of time. The marketing head adapts to this leadership style when it comes to putting up the advertisement hoardings and placing orders for standees. The staff is often seen de motivated because there is lack of input from their side. This de-motivation has been observed by the communication during the daily tea breaks when the employees get together to discuss general matters. The company undertakes democratic leadership style during various situations; in the meetings conducted the employees are consulted for problem solving and decision-making. This motivates them and makes them feel important for the organization. For small daily decisions such as how many more plain sheets for the printer should be ordered etc, laissez-faire leadership style is used within the organization. Leadership theories Contingency theory of leadership- this theory suggests that there is no one best way to manage or lead and organization since whats best in one situation is might not necessarily work in some other situation. The Fiedler Contingency Model states that there is no one best style of leadership. Instead, a leaders effectiveness is based on the situation. This is the result of two factors leadership style and situational favorableness (later called situational control) This theory applies to the chosen organization since the leadership style undertaken is situational based. Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory-This theory states that instead of using just one style, successful leaders should change their leadership styles based on the maturity of the people theyre leading and the details of the task. Using this theory, leaders should be able to place more or less emphasis on the task, and more or less emphasis on the relationships with the people theyre leading, depending on whats needed to get the job done successfully. According to Hersey and Blanchard, there are four main leadership styles based on the behavior of subordinates, these are illustrated below. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_44.htm The Hersey Blanchard model is applicable to the chosen organization since not only the leadership style varies with the situation but it also varies with the staff. In any given situation not all employees are instructed equally for example when a deadline is to be met a rather autocratic style is adapted by the leaders however it is fairly difficult for the leaders to direct each employee so some of them who have high skills and willingness may not be directed as much with leadership style for them being delegating and not telling. Motivation Motivation is the The general desire or willingness of someone to do something. For a firm to be successful it is important for the employees to be motivated. Motivation can be either intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that the employees feel from within, self-motivated people. These people usually choose their interests and hobbies as their career. Extrinsic motivation is when employees need to be motivated through external factors like money or non-monetary ways. Managers in a firm can inspire their employees in different ways; money may not always be the key to the employees happiness. The managers of Empire construction use time and attention to motivate their employees. They motivate their employees financially and non-financially. It is important for the managers to understand which employee is motivated by which factor. The company makes this analysis during the interviews; Where the HR head takes the final interviews. The employees ask certain set of questions, which help the firm to understand which motivational factor is important to them. For eg- if they ask about the salary then money could be a criteria. Financial motivation- Salary- Salaries are payments made each month. The employees of Empire construction are paid monthly instead of yearly, this helps improve the cash flow of the company, and also it motivates the employees to work efficiently every month. Bonus- is when an extra or an unexpected increase in efficiency of the employee has contributed to the firm. This helps the company in two ways one that employee is motivated and second that it helps the company improve its overall performance. The chosen organization does make use of cash bonus to motivate the employees. Loyalty bonus is paid to the employees who have stayed with the company for a certain length of time. The company also gives the employees a Diwali bonus, which consists of a months salary. Pay rise- the salary of employees is increased with time in order to motivate them. Fringe benefits- All payments and benefits to an employee in addition to the salaries. Recommendations- If a customer comes through an